Designer hard drive manufacturer LaCie recently added two new models to its LaCinema range of TV-friendly hard drives. The models include the LaCinema Black PLAY and LaCinema Black RECORD units. The LaCinema Classic Bridge has also been introduced for users who already own an external hard drive.

HD-ready with support for 1080p content and 1080i upscale standard-definition material, the LaCinema Black RECORD is a multi-featured HDD. It does not just record and store your digital content but also acts as a DVR to connect to and store content directly from a set-top box. These programs can then be played back on your TV at your convenience through the HDMI port. You also have the option of playback via the composite- and component-video ports.

If you are not interested in the DVR function or already own one, check out the LaCinema Black PLAY. This classic black-bodied system comes with all functions of the RECORD unit except the recording ability. With capacities of 500GB or 1TB on-board storage, both these units have enough space to store all your favourite content.

Both systems support standard codecs including MPEG 1-4, DivX, XviD, H.264 and WMV9. You can also access the data stored on your NAS through the in-built fixed Ethernet and 802.11n Wi-Fi. If you need additional storage, just plug it into the box through the USB 2.0 port.

If storage in not something you are interested in and you just need a connector, then the LaCinema Classic Bridge can do this for you. It comes with HDMI and composite-video outputs to connect your external HDD to and play the content on your TV. However, you cannot connect the unit to the network.

LaCie has priced the Bridge at £80, with the 500GB Black PLAY and Black RECORD coming at £320 and £370 respectively. The 1TB models for the two boxes will respectively cost £360 and £475 each.